His word is law when it involves Disney Co. copyright protection.

His word is law when it involves Disney Co. copyright protection

Walt Disney Co. filed two lawsuits recently charging 123 California retailers and distributors with copyright infringement and unfair competition. These are just the latest in a long line of Disney suits aimed at protecting the entertainment giant's copyrights and trademarks.

Four lawyers at Disney soldier on in this continuing battle, and their department has grown as Disney has grown, said Peter Nolan, vice president-counsel for Burbank-based Disney. As Disney characters' popularity grows, more people are prone to "take advantage" of them, he said.

Disney lawyers file up to 80 lawsuits each year regarding copyright and trademark infringement, although the company is aware of about 800 infringements around the globe annually, Nolan said.

The suits seek injunctions to prevent continued selling of the pirated merchandise, in addition to damages. The infringing items include watches, stuffed animals and clothing.

Nolan told of one notable case Disney pursued. A man in Texas was making animation cels (individual frames for animated films) and selling them with a fake authentication certificate. When the marshal went to seize the cels, "the guy greeted the U.S. marshals with a gun," Nolan said.

PHOTO : Nolan: Disney files up to 80 lawsuits a year